Where Monkeypox came from? Why Monkeypox Spreading? Monkeypox
Monkeypox is a viral disease from the same family as smallpox, though its symptoms usually aren't as serious. Scientists have known about it since 1958, when it was found in lab monkeys used for research. Monkeypox is most common in Central and West Africa. But in May 2022, health officials began reporting an outbreak of the virus in several regions outside Africa.
Monkeypox is a zoonotic virus, which means it spreads from animals to humans. In addition to monkeys, it's been found in other primates and certain rodents in Africa. But people can transmit it to each other, too. The first known human infection was in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
HIGHLIGHTS:
India's first monkeypox case has been reported in Kerala, confirmed state health minister GeorgeThe patient is a traveller from UAE, he is quite stable, and all the vitals are normal: GeorgeCentre rushed a team to Kerala as case confirmed
Monkeypox case in India: India's first monkeypox case has been reported in Kerala on Thursday, confirmed state health minister Veena George. A person who returned from abroad has been admitted to a hospital in Kerala after he showed symptoms of monkeypox, she said.
"Kerala Health Dept has issued guidelines on Monkey Pox. The patient is quite stable, and all the vitals are normal," she stated.
The patient's primary contacts have been identified - his father, mother, taxi driver, auto driver, and 11 passengers of the same flight who were in adjacent seats, she said. "There is nothing to worry about or to be anxious about. All the steps are being taken and the patient is stable."
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe.
With the eradication of smallpox in 1980 and subsequent cessation of smallpox vaccination, monkeypox has emerged as the most important orthopoxvirus for public health.
The health minister said that the patient is a traveller from UAE. "He reached the state on 12th July. He reached Trivandrum airport and all the steps are being taken as per the guidelines issued by WHO and ICMR," George added. The patient, she said, is now stable.
How Is Monkeypox Transmitted?
It can spread from person to person through close contact. Someone who's infected with it can pass it to you through:
Contact with body fluids like blood or semen
Contact with monkeypox lesions on their skin (including inside their nose and mouth)
Respiratory droplets that you breathe in
Things that have touched infected body fluids, like bedding or clothing (This happens less often.)
Infected animals can pass on the virus if they bite or scratch you. You can also get it from eating uncooked contaminated meat.
The virus can get into your body through a break in the skin (which you might not even be aware of) or through your mouth, nose, or eyes. You can breathe it in, but you’d probably have to be in close contact for a fairly long time. That’s because most droplets don’t travel very far.
Monkeypox isn't technically considered a sexually transmitted infection (STI) since you can get it from other forms of contact. But people infected with monkeypox can pass it on during sex. WHO officials say most of the May 2022 cases were sexually transmitted, especially among men who have sex with men.
It typically takes between 1 and 2 weeks after exposure to get sick from the monkeypox virus, but it could take as long as 3 weeks.
With the recent outbreak, doctors have noticed a few newer symptoms that don’t quite match the typical description of monkeypox.
Besides the usual signs, new monkeypox symptoms may include:
Painful rash that may start out on your pubic area, genitals, or around your anus
Fewer bumps (one to two bumps)
Bumps that look like blisters, pus-filled bumps, or open sores
Bumps in different stages, even when they’re found around the same area
Some people may not get a fever or flu-like symptoms before the rash. Some people don’t get a fever at all.
In some cases, people have reported other symptoms such as pain around the anus, the need to poop even though your gut is empty (tenesmus), bleeding in the lower part of large intestine (rectum), and painful inflammation of the anus and rectum lining (proctitis). Doctors have linked these symptoms to the painful bumps in the area.
Experts are not sure what’s causing the shift in symptoms. But research is ongoing. In the meantime, if you notice these symptoms, tell your doctor right away.
Symptoms may also include any of these that were seen in past outbreaks:
Fever
Tiredness
Headache
Aching muscles
Chills
Backache
Sore throat
Dry cough
Swollen lymph nodes
Trouble breathing (in serious cases)
In previous outbreaks, the following symptoms usually were also seen, and may still be seen now:
One to 3 days after your fever starts, a rash shows up. It typically starts on your face before spreading to other parts of the body.
The rash is more common on the hands, feet, arms, and legs. It also tends to follow a particular pattern: Flat, round lesions (macules) grow into slightly raised bumps (papules), then into bumps filled with clear fluid (vesicles).
People have usually reported anywhere from 10 to 150 bumps on their skin. These then change into bumps with yellowish fluid (pustules) that crust over and fall off. Report any of these symptoms to your doctor right away.
You can spread monkeypox to others starting a day before the rash shows up. You're contagious for up to 21 days after your first symptoms, or until your lesions have scabbed over and you don't have any other symptoms.
How Serious Is Monkeypox?
The illness typically runs its course in 2 to 4 weeks. It can be quite serious, especially in children who were exposed to a lot of the virus or in people with other health conditions or weak immune systems.
In some cases, thousands of lesions grow together and cause the loss of large sections of skin at once. Death is rare but possible. In Africa, monkeypox leads to death in up to 1 of every 10 people who get it. But many people in this region live in areas without adequate medical care. Children are most at risk for serious illness and death.
Possible serious complications from monkeypox include secondary infections like:
Encephalitis
Sepsis
Bronchopneumonia
Infection of cornea with possible vision loss
Exposed to Monkeypox: What to Do
If you think you've been exposed to monkeypox, call your doctor for instructions. Look out for symptoms for 21 days after your first exposure. You should:
Check your temperature twice a day.
If you have chills and swollen lymph nodes but no fever or rash, isolate yourself at home for 24 hours.
If you get a fever and/or rash, self-isolate right away and contact your local health department.
If chills and swollen lymph nodes don't go away, call your doctor.
If you have no symptoms, you can go about your daily routine as usual. But don’t donate blood, cells, tissue, breast milk, semen, or organs while you’re monitoring for symptoms.
Diagnosis
Your doctor will look at your lesions and ask you in detail about your symptoms, such as when you likely came into contact with the virus. They’ll try to rule out similar conditions like:
Measles
Chickenpox
Syphilis
Allergies
Scabies
Bacterial skin infections
A laboratory test can tell whether you have monkeypox.
Monkeypox Treatment
There's no specific treatment for monkeypox. Your doctor will likely help keep you comfortable and try to ward off serious complications with rest, plenty of fluids, and over-the-counter meds.
To control an outbreak, doctors could turn to antivirals and vaccinia gamma globulin (made from the blood of people recently vaccinated against smallpox) as well as the smallpox vaccine.
If you’ve had a recent smallpox vaccine (in the last 3-5 years), you have some protection against monkeypox. Studies show that the smallpox vaccine is 85% effective at preventing monkeypox.
The U.S. has two vaccines to prevent smallpox: ACAM2000 and JYNNEOS (Imvamune, Imvanex). In 2019, the FDA also approved JYNNEOS to prevent monkeypox.
The two vaccines contain live virus. ACAM2000 is given by pricking the skin. A small lesion may form, and the virus can grow on it. (This causes the telltale scar of a smallpox vaccine.) Before it heals, the virus could spread to other parts of body or to other people. If you get this vaccine, take care not to spread the virus while the lesion heals.
You get JYNNEOS in two shots taken 4 weeks apart. With this vaccine, there’s no risk of spreading the virus.
While it’s best to get a vaccine before you're exposed to monkeypox, getting it afterward may still help prevent the disease or make it less serious. The CDC recommends getting the vaccine within 4 days after exposure to monkeypox. But even if you get it as long as 14 days after exposure, it could still reduce your monkeypox symptoms.
If you’ve been exposed to monkeypox and haven’t had a smallpox vaccine in the last 3 years, experts recommend getting vaccinated as soon as possible.
You could have minor reactions from the smallpox or monkeypox vaccine, such as:
Mild fever
Tiredness
Swollen glands
Redness and itching at the vaccination site
Monkeypox and Pregnancy: What to Know
According to the CDC, if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, you may be at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill if you catch the infection. There’s limited information on the effects of monkeypox during pregnancy, but the WHO states that it is possible for a mother to pass the virus to an unborn baby before delivery through placenta. The placenta is the organ that connects the baby to the uterus (the womb).
This can increase the odds of complications, such as:
Miscarriage
Stillbirth
There’s no information on whether monkeypox can increase the risk of birth defects. But fever is one of the main symptoms of monkeypox. And if you catch the infection during your first trimester, a high fever could increase the chances of certain birth defects.
You can also pass the virus to your newborn baby during or after birth through close contact. However, there’s no evidence on whether you can pass on the virus through breastfeeding.
If you have a confirmed infection, tell your doctor immediately. They’ll need to closely monitor you and your baby until birth. If you’re over 26 weeks pregnant or you feel unwell, your doctor might monitor the baby’s heart every 2-3 days. You may also need regular ultrasounds until your doctor can confirm that the baby is growing well and the placenta is working properly.
Your doctor might recommend a C-section if you have monkeypox or think you do, to reduce the risk of passing on the infection to the baby during birth. After birth, your baby might be isolated to protect them until there’s no risk of infection.
As for prevention, the JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine has not been specifically approved for pregnant women. But a study of 300 pregnant women who got the shot found no side effects or failed pregnancies linked to the vaccine. If you’re pregnant, planning to get pregnant, or breastfeeding, and you’ve been exposed to the monkeypox virus, talk to your doctor about whether the vaccine is right for you.
Should You Wear Masks?
According to the CDC, if you have monkeypox, you should wear a surgical mask, especially if you have respiratory issues like cough, shortness of breath, or a sore throat. This can reduce the risk of infection.
If you’re unable to wear a mask, then it’s best if those around you wear a mask to protect themselves.
How Can You Avoid Catching Monkeypox?
To avoid catching monkeypox:
Stay away from animals that might have the virus, especially dead animals in areas where monkeypox is common.
Stay away from bedding and other materials that have touched a person with monkeypox or a sick animal.
Separate infected persons or animals from others at risk for infection.
If you have to be close to an animal or person with the virus, wash your hands with soap and water often.
Use protective gear like masks, safety goggles or glasses, and gloves if you can’t avoid contact.
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